Subject: | |
From: | |
Reply To: | |
Date: | Wed, 1 Nov 2000 23:37:04 -0500 |
Content-Type: | text/plain |
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
Kerri wrote:
>I was wondering if anyone can help me identify and/or date a fragmented
doorknob I found on a site. The site
>tentatively dates to between 1850-1890 and is located in southern
Williamson County, Texas (just north of
>Austin). The doorknob is made of a soft, earthenware paste which is
"Buckley-esque" in appearance,
>interweaving layers of red and yellow clay. The exterior is in poor
condition but appears to be black and brown
>swirled paint with a possible lead glaze. Any information on a fixture
like this would be greatly appreciated!
The farm house I grew up in, located in rural Central New Your state, was
built in 1832/1833 and had these knobs throughout, except in the formal
rooms where they were white body with a white glaze, and in the 1860-1865
addition where they were solid brown clay with a brown glaze (looked
similar on the outside). Many had cracks, chips, or where split and it was
quite easy to see what they were made. I also found more fragments than
seemed possible in the adjoining fields and gardens. I have seen them on
other archaeological and old home sites throughout NY and suspect that they
were standard hardware, but I haven't a clue as to date range (they are
still being deposited into the archaeoogical record). Many of the existing
early homes still have them and I'd say they first become available in the
1830s. They are all formed around the shank and when they are split you
can see how the shank is pressed into the clay when it is wet. In one case
that I recall the glaze was on the metal indicating that it was fired as
one piece and not put together later. In some the shanks are threaded but
I think that was for better holding or to make insertion into the wet clay
easier without misshaping the knob. The pattern of swirling in the clay,
with a clear plane through the center(like a sliced bagel) indicates that
the knob was formed from two disks put together and then smoothed.
Dan W.
|
|
|